2016 Year in Review, Part 6: Hoobae minions’ first rodeo

And now comes reviews from the newest members of our minion army, our Hoobae Minions, who’ve all pitched in to help make this year our best yet. It’s been amazing to have so many new voices here on Dramabeans, so we’re delighted to present their thoughts on how 2016 shaped up compared to years past.

Since we love torturing our minions, we asked them to write about just one or two dramas from the whole year, causing much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments. You’ve already seen their recaps and articles floating around, so give their reviews some love, y’all! –HeadsNo2

Descended From the Sun: As an unabashed and fervent fan of Song Hye-gyo, I went into Descended very excited to see her otherworldly beauty grace my screen. However, when I heard she’d be starring opposite Song Joong-ki, I was feeling pretty iffy about the pairing. I couldn’t picture it, and I thought she deserved someone more strapping and rugged. After all, the male lead would be playing a special forces captain, and not some rookie soldier.

But then the show premiered, and I found myself so pleasantly surprised by how charming and authoritative Song Joong-ki was. I felt the ends of my doubtful lips curl up without my permission and relished all the witty romantic and bromantic moments he shared with Song Hye-gyo and Jin Gu, respectively. I was smitten! For a wartime romance, the stakes were curiously low, and I never once feared for the lives of any of our leads; they were always going to live another day and reunite with their beautiful and badass significant others. The details and inhabitants of the fictional country Uruk were laughably cursory for the most part, and the villain came straight out of a comic book, equipped with a diabolical cackle. Of course.

However, in spite of all that, I was swept up in the Descended craze just like the millions of viewers who made it the biggest show of 2016. It was fun to watch the astronomical numbers go up every week and wonder just how high the show could go. Descended wasn’t perfect, but it was perfectly enjoyable thanks to the lovable medical and military team who were good at their jobs, but who were also just real, funny, and well-rounded human beings at the end of the day. Saving lives and squeezing in romance? All in a day’s work.

Signal: I decided to check Signal out on a whim and went in with zero expectations, only to end up completely engrossed from the first gripping minute to the very last; a drama this consistently stellar is a rare gem.

This show knocked the wind out of me in the best way possible. My heart would burst out of my chest and shatter into a million jagged pieces more than once, but the pain was so worth it. In fact, I’d watch every single episode late at night with all the lights off for full effect and maximum suspense. I was broken and emotionally spent after every episode, but I always came back for more, making sure tissues were within reach. The slick direction expertly augmented the deft story structure, and I was continually impressed and moved.

Signal was a smart show, and I appreciated the fact that all three main characters were smart as well. None of them had to be bumbling and dim in order for the story to unfold, and I especially loved Kim Hye-soo’s turn as a badass, no-nonsense detective who wore pink to appease her mom, but was better suited and genuinely herself in darker colors and casual dress. She didn’t serve as an arbitrary vertex of a love triangle because there wasn’t a central romance in the first place, and that was such a welcome relief. It probably doesn’t even need to be said at this point, but Jo Jin-woong was phenomenal as the tenacious detective from the past and the beating heart of the show, and Lee Je-hoon delivered as his counterpart in the present.

Whenever the clock strikes 11:23, I like to think that past and present briefly merge even today, because clearly, my love for this show still endures.

W—Two Worlds: Oh, W. Every time I think about this show, I feel a dangerous mix of rage and despair. There were a sad number of dramas this year with great beginnings and tragic endings (not the good kind), but W’s downfall was the biggest blow for me. When news of W’s premise was first released, it sounded like a top favorite drama just waiting to happen. When it finally aired, I was 99.99% sure it would be my new favorite. It was new and exciting, and the wait for each episode proved to be an entirely different level of agonizing.

And the show had everything going for it except the writing, even though I hate to say it. Writer Song Jae-jung’s decision to hit reset almost mid-series just steered the show in the wrong direction. At that point, it was like watching an inevitable car crash in slow motion. I was waiting for the show to pull itself together, but alas, it never happened. Once we were in reset mode, the romance was pretty much thrown to the side so the plot twists could get more attention. Writer Song did deliver some mind-boggling twists (some of which still haunt me to this day), but I didn’t come for the twists—I came for an epic, forbidden romance between fangirl and fictional hero. With that hope diminished, the twists alone couldn’t buoy the rest of the show. It really is a crying shame. For me, if W were a guy, I would’ve thought I had found the most perfect partner in the world, only to discover later down the road that we wanted different things: He wanted plot. I wanted romance.

Age of Youth: When I think about the entirety of 2016, there were many cracktastic dramas that surprised me (more than expected). But it was the small underdog of a drama Age of Youth that got a firm grip on my heart, and it hasn’t let go since. This show broke me. Like, seriously broke me—I actually spent an entire afternoon crying and inhaling cookies after the finale. Dramas are meant for entertainment, and Age of Youth was certainly entertaining (The catfights! The first loves! The… ghosts?), but I loved that its characters felt like real people caught on camera rather than actors doing a job. The show focused on all five heroines equally, making each of them feel like important pieces of the whole picture, and made their worries feel like more than just silly young adult problems.

I guess since I’m a twentysomething with silly young adult problems myself, I connected with the Belle Epoque ladies almost instantly. I would constantly nod at my computer screen, saying, “Yup. Totally. This show gets me.” And I really have to praise the show for creating such weird characters that were also surprisingly relatable. It’s easy for quirky characters to be nothing but quirky, and I was impressed to see that Youth always brought its characters back to reality, and in the most heart-rending ways possible. So if Youth were a guy, I would’ve married it after only two dates episodes. Is that stupid? Maybe. Risky? Oh yeah. But I could tell that this show was the one for me.

Jealousy Incarnate: I honestly didn’t expect to like Jealousy Incarnate as much as I did, even though I’m a fan of leads Gong Hyo-jin and Jo Jung-seok. There were too many elements that could have gone wrong: A ridiculously long twenty-four episodes for a rom-com? Check. The been-there-done-that premise of a love triangle between a plucky heroine and two men? Check. Go Kyung-pyo as the second lead? Check. Did I mention that it was twenty-four episodes?

The show took a little while to find its groove, but a few episodes in, all my doubts drifted away one by one. Everything about the series clicked, from the fresh and sometimes unexpected writing, to the quirky and perfectly timed OST, and to the lovable cast of characters who didn’t miss a beat throughout the show’s run. Above all, Jealousy Incarnate was really and truly funny—and I mean snorting with laughter funny—from beginning to end, cementing its place as not only my favorite show of 2016, but my favorite rom-com of all time.

As much fun as some of the supporting players were (Pal-gang’s moms win my vote for best couple), it was Jo Jung-seok’s standout performance as the prickly Lee Hwa-shin that took Jealousy to a whole new level. In the hands of a less capable actor, Hwa-shin could have been a terrible hero to root for—he was arrogant, selfish, childish, and sometimes, even downright cruel. But Jo Jung-seok imbued his character with a vulnerability that made me believe that underneath his outer layer of petulance, there was a good guy in there, one that was capable of loving one girl with all his heart, and one who was worthy of said girl.

Yes, Hwa-shin, you won. You won all of the things, which not only includes Pyo Na-ri’s heart, but my heart, too.

1% of Anything: To be honest, I was such a fan of the original 2003 version of 1% of Anything that I was completely prepared to hate this remake. I am pleased to say my preconceived prejudices were proven wrong—remakes can be done well, and may even add to the enjoyment of the original. By staying true to the spirit of its source material, the new 1% of Anything took me to a nostalgic place in my memories where the older version resided—a bit dusty, but surrounded by fondness.

Let me start by saying that Ha Suk-jin and Jeon So-min had great chemistry (actually, much more than Kang Dong-won and Kim Jung-hwa). Exhibit A: That jungle gym kiss. Need I say more? I also liked that in keeping with the moving times, this 1% of Anything replaced many of the archaic familial stricture subplots with more relationship-building scenes. I thought it was a nice touch, because it helped the drama feel more modern and in-tune with the reality of today’s romances.

This drama didn’t reinvent the wheel, but I thought it raised interesting, unexplored questions regarding a chaebol’s happily ever after. Often in Dramaland, we’re treated to Cinderella stories that end at the wedding, but what happens to a blissful couple when the realities of running a major conglomeration keep them apart after the drama’s conclusion? These two seriously contemplated the impact marriage would have on each other’s lives, which made me much more invested in their relationship, because it proved their sincerity. But ultimately, it was Da-da and Jae-in’s soulmate connection that sold me on their mismatched relationship, and which helped me to believe it would be in the 1% that’s built to last.

Ms. Temper and Nam Jung-ki:Ms. Temper and Nam Jung-ki was a refreshing, hilarious, and poignant show, with one of the most memorable characters of 2016. The show tackled issues of gender discrimination, contingent employment, and power abuse, but it never took itself too seriously and balanced the story with bits of wackiness and exaggeration—usually supplied by the hero’s overactive imagination.

The male protagonist, Nam Jung-ki, was a timid beta male who avoided conflict, worked diligently, and eventually learned to value himself, and Yoon Sang-hyun imbued him with heart. The whole show was filled with memorable characters, each with their own flaws that made them deeply human. No one was perfect, and while that may frustrate some people, it’s what I loved most about the show. While I enjoyed the entire ensemble, it was Ok Da-jung (aka Ms. Temper) who stole my heart.

Contrary to her nickname, Ok Da-jung was not an uncontrollable tempest who snapped indiscriminately, but a levelheaded business woman who had adopted too many masculine characteristics in the eyes of a patriarchal work environment. Ok Da-jung never lashed out first, but only ever retaliated, and society judged her actions more harshly than her male counterparts because she failed to fit into her prescribed gender norms. Despite the obstacles that disadvantaged her, she succeeded and proved that a woman can be confident, successful, and independent without compromising her sincerity, ethics, or sense of hope. Lee Yo-won was amazing as the fiery Ok Da-jung, exuding charm and poise, and it’s one of the best performances I’ve seen of hers.

Though the drama has its share of convenient plot devices (suspension of belief is your friend), it was a delightful show filled with wonderfully crafted characters and a surprising amount of pathos with dashes of realism. It made me cry, laugh, and fist pump in the air.

Beautiful Mind: Or: The woman who forgot that she was a cop on a mission. Beautiful Mind wanted to tell the story of a man who believed he couldn’t feel, and how everything in his life was colored by that conviction. After weeks of watching Jang Hyuk deliver a wonderfully pathos-filled performance, I realized that the show really did have just that one tale to tell. Everything else was filler. Everyone else was a foil for Young-oh’s journey of self-discovery. A crucial character to fall under the bus of Young-oh’s character development was Park So-dam’s Jin-sung. She began as an inexperienced traffic cop who spent a large chunk of the show accusing Young-oh of nefarious misdeeds with little proof in hand. It was like she believed that her righteousness would always magically put her in the right. In short, she was extremely annoying.

But here’s the thing: I liked her. I liked that Jin-sung was dogged and plucky. I liked that she was facing off against a large corporation and a well-known, powerful neurosurgeon, but she wasn’t cowed. Yes, she had plenty of too-stupid-to-live moments, but I hoped desperately that it was part of her character’s arc. In my version of the perfect show, Jin-sung would go from being a headstrong, heedless rookie cop to a responsible, meticulous police officer. I wanted the story where Young-oh makes Jin-sung look at the mess she created with her impetuousness and rethink her life. And, yes, we got a version of that, but it was a sadly truncated version. I would dearly love to blame this on the episode cuts, yet I have to be honest and admit that by the halfway mark, the writers had already shown that they were uninterested in giving Jin-sung her own story.

This show introduced me to the wonder that is Jang Hyuk, but it made itself less memorable by diluting the depiction of its hard-headed, earnest female lead. She set out to seek justice with guns blazing, and then kind of… got over it.

W—Two Worlds: Or: The woman who forgot that she was also a hero of the story. W—Two Worlds spent the first few weeks of the show repeatedly knocking me off my I-know-where-this-is-going high horse. It turned me a bit demented, really. I loved the premise so much that I spoke in a high-pitched, chipmunk voice whenever I tried to explain the story to anyone. Kang Chul—played by a grown-up Lee Jong-seok, suave and flirty with an intent to seduce—slayed me with his charm, strength, and ability to see to the heart of any situation. Even his flaws made him perfect. It took Kang Chul 2.0 for me to realize that much of what I loved about his character transcended clichés and became remarkable only through his interactions with Han Hyo-joo’s Yeon-joo.

This young doctor’s struggle to learn the rules of world-hopping while grappling with fangirl feels was the most fun thing I’d ever watched in a drama. Her comic timing was perfect, as was her chemistry with Kang Chul. For a character with plenty of self-doubt, she was at her cleverest when trying to evade Kang Chul’s perceptive questions and prevent the two worlds from colliding.

And then the second half happened. Losing Kang Chul twice seemed to undo her character, as she turned into someone who was coping with depression and post-traumatic stress. Both were understandable reactions to her experiences, but that didn’t seem to be the story the show wanted to tell us. Kang Chul 2.0 never really got to know the Yeon-joo we all fell in love with. Predictably, the two ended up together, but I couldn’t understand why. I was left with the impression that Yeon-joo was still waiting for the old Kang Chul, and that these two didn’t really know each other any more. Just as the new Kang Chul was a sharper, more determined character than the old one, Yeon-joo had somehow faded. She became passive as Kang Chul became more vivid.

This show tore my heart into pieces and only glued half of it back. Watching it was an incredible experience that I’ll never forget, but I’ll always rue the disappearance of Yeon-joo’s smile.

Marriage Contract: This drama was so much more than the story of a marriage based on the need for an organ donor. I was interested in the drama because of UEE, and discovered the most touching love story in the process. Two lonely people were transformed by a love that blossomed in spite of insurmountable hardships. UEE surprised me with her performance, conveying such a broad range of emotions convincingly. However, the biggest surprise for me was Shin Rin-ah, a very young actress with a real talent. She had such good chemistry with both UEE and Lee Seo-jin, making the evolution of their little family believable. The other relationships in the drama stayed with me long after it ended: mother-child, father-son, sister-brother, best friends, a little girl and her kittens. They underlined how life is really about the people that we love.

It’s tricky to write a drama based on life-threatening illnesses, but the writer used them to provide a sense of urgency for the characters. As a result, the main couple’s relationship was bittersweet with no promise of a normal life together, but just a simple celebration of each day. The secondary romance of the best friends who kept running into one another provided hope for a happy future. This drama was a testament to what makes life so precious: the sharing of ups and downs, joys and sorrows.

Dear My Friends: This drama about childhood friends turned senior citizens was a terrific ensemble vehicle. It was a treat to witness veteran actors sharing the screen together. The characters bickered among themselves, but couldn’t imagine life without each other. They dealt with a number of issues: not wanting to burden grown children, seeing their last chances at love and companionship, illness, a broken marriage, and the reality of final goodbyes. Added to the mix was a grown daughter who was on speed dial to all of the friends, with their needs and concerns making her life chaotic. Her story most likely resonated with daughters of all ages.

I loved how much the characters were flawed. Just because they were advanced in age didn’t guarantee that they were mature. Yes, they had experience and knew each other much too well, but they still had lessons to learn. I found their stories funny, touching, and encouraging. As great as the veteran actors were, it was the younger ones who really grabbed my attention. Go Hyun-jung personified the daughter made crazy by an interfering mother. Lee Kwang-soo broke my heart with his portrayal of a loving son torn between his desire to care for his mother and provide for his young family. His scenes were particularly poignant and moving. Jo In-sung provided a calm counterpoint to Go Hyun-jung’s character, complementing her high-strung nature.

In the end, this drama was about the acceptance of imperfections, both in yourself and others. These imperfections are what make life both maddening and interesting. This group of friends was an endearing bunch, and I was happy to spend time getting to know them.

Age of Youth: It was difficult to choose just two shows to write about, but I’m giving the first spot to Age of Youth, a show that reminded me so much of my college days, presented from somebody else’s point of view. Whether it’s That Annoying Groupmate, or That Loud Kid Who Tells Uncomfortable Jokes, or That Girl Obsessed With Her Boyfriend, Age of Youth shone a spotlight on each of them and turned them from a caricature into someone who’s the lead in their own lives.

The painful first episode was misleading in its melodrama, featuring a Cinderella freshman silently swallowing injustices and trying to fit in with her three evil sunbaes. You can’t help but be 100 percent on her side and hate the sunbaes too, but once the show pulled back and said, “Hey, they’re not really Evil Sunbaes, but the heroines of their own stories!” in a way that didn’t feel like a cop-out, I was in love. Then they tacked on that new character and the twist at the end of the pilot, and I was begging the show to marry me.

I loved that it could bring me to one extreme of an opinion, turn around, and pull me to the other end without the cheating out-of-character twists that make mothers-in-law and greedy CEOs suddenly nice in most drama finales. Age of Youth even managed to flip my opinion on my favorite sunbae just by highlighting an aspect of her character that seemed fun at first but became problematic in excess, reminding me that up until the end, there are no easy, right answers, and there are no perfect people. There are just perfect little shows that end four episodes too soon and will definitely have a second season. Right, JTBC?

This Week, My Wife Will Have an Affair: Every once in a while, there’s a K-drama that I really want my family and close friends to experience. Not just because it’s funny, or because Oppa is super hot, or because it’s mind-bendingly cool (though those are good enough reasons), but because it’s such a great show about life. This Week, My Wife Will Have An Affair was that show for me. At first, it seemed like a comedy about an overly imaginative husband trying to confirm if his wife is cheating, with the sometimes well-meaning but often misguided netizens egging him on. The show leads you to think that the reveal was the endgame. Instead, it went past that, and highlighted some ugly truths about a husband and wife’s roles in a marriage, and how we’ve come to accept those roles as right just because that’s how everyone has been doing it for years.

The show never preached or presented one solution that fits all scenarios. And depending on where you stand, you will either love or hate the ending. But what’s more important is that this show started conversations—some of the best, most personal ones I’ve read here.

Not all of us know a cross-dressing eunuch or marriage contract chaebol in real life, but we’ve all been witness to a marriage. Ours, our parents’, or a friend’s. I loved that our different backgrounds turned the comments section into a mirror of the online forum within the show, with some of us looking where to place the blame, some arguing for forgiveness or revenge—and some, like me, soaking up all that collective wisdom and hopefully retaining enough of it so that we don’t end up alone and penniless with shotgun fragments in the crotch. (Basically, steer clear of “La Promesa!”)

Oh Hae-young Again: This was the drama that took me completely by surprise. In the beginning, I tuned in purely to see Eric, and then I just couldn’t stop! I swear, if I weren’t already addicted to K-dramas, this one would have been my gateway drug. Admittedly, it had a few flaws, and there were some moments of repeated head-banging against my desk, but in the end, the characters and their stories won me over completely.

There was something about it all that was so moving. From Hae-young’s fight for individuality to Do-kyung’s regret over a mistake made in anger, everyone was imperfect in so many ways but still beautiful in their failings. I honestly had no idea I was going to like the show as much as I did, and I still can’t quite put my finger on what it was exactly that I so enjoyed. All I can say is, I’m truly glad that I watched Oh Hae-young Again, and again, and again, and again…

The K2: Oh, the show it could have been. I suppose this case is a perfect example of: “Be careful what you wish for.” As an avid fan of both action and Ji Chang-wook, words cannot express how much I looked forward to this drama–and how disappointed I was with the end result. There was indeed a lot of action, and a whole lot of Ji Chang-wook (nekkid shower fights!), but sadly, it never lived up to its potential after that.

All the pieces were there, with a kickass hero and a badass villain, plus an intriguing plot based upon the classic Snow White tale, but something fell flat. I was constantly waiting for more, and instead got just enough. I think my biggest annoyance was that it successfully strung me along all the way to the end—it was never good enough to have me hooked, but still not quite so bad that I could quit. Still, when the bitterness gets to be too much, I can always rewind to watch more shower fighting. There really must be drama gods, and they do listen to our prayers.

Come Back, Ajusshi: Though largely overshadowed by the massive popularity of Descended from the Sun at the time of its airing, Come Back, Ajusshi had its own appeal in its portrayal of warm, familial relationships that kept me hooked. From the gradual trust that developed between a downtrodden wife and her temporarily reincarnated husband who had to pretend that he wasn’t her husband, to the unforgettably hilarious bromance between Young-soo and Gi-tak, to the heartbreaking tears of little Hanna who just wanted her daddy back, this drama did a fantastic job of simultaneously tugging at my heartstrings and cracking me up at every turn.

While the show never quite allowed us the hope that Young-soo and Gi-tak would be able to permanently stay in the real world, I had nevertheless been optimistic—quite confident, even—that we would get the happiest possible ending: Young-soo and Gi-tak in heaven, villain Suk-chul in jail, abusive husband Jae-gook getting his comeuppance, and everyone else coming to terms with the deaths of their two loved ones. That’s why it came as a real shocker for me when Gi-tak sacrificed not just his life but his entire existence to save everyone he loved.

It certainly wasn’t out of character for him to be the selfless hero, but it was a twist in the lesson that Young-soo’s death had taught us at the beginning: treat your life preciously. While Young-soo’s death taught us to treat our lives preciously by showing us what it means to live a life in vain—surrounded by work, work, and work—Gi-tak’s complete disappearance from the world taught the same lesson by showing us a life worth living, surrounded by people precious enough for you to sacrifice everything for them without a second thought.

W—Two Worlds: In that vein, I’m reminded of a similar sacrifice by Yeon-joo’s dad in W—Two Worlds; though he was a much more cowardly and at times despicable figure, he, too, opted to disappear for the happiness of his only loved one: his daughter. I personally found Yeon-joo’s father to be awfully tragic in that the ultimate reason behind his spiral into madness was his terror of being overtaken by his creation, Kang Chul. To be fair, it’s an understandable reaction if you’re just a regular manhwa artist living in the real world (as Su-bong hilariously noted: Why should a manhwa artist have to live with his life in danger?), but the problem was that he became so engrossed in his role as a creator that he rejected the very real lives of the manhwa characters, even as he entered their world.

Despite my pity for Yeon-joo, who was left to deal with her father’s death, it was actually quite satisfying to watch her father transform from someone who so wholly rejected Kang Chul’s existence as a person enough to try and kill him, to someone who repented for killing even a minor character (the nurse at the mental hospital) by the end of the show. Overtaken by alcoholism and paranoia, Yeon-joo’s dad led a life in vain, but in the end, there was a sense of resolution when he came to peace with his eventual death/disappearance, having known that he paid for his sins while saving his daughter’s chance at happiness at the same time.

Although W was largely centered on the star-crossed romance between Yeon-joo and Kang Chul, it was the tragic father-daughter relationship (okay, and the terrifying character of No Face) that made this drama truly unique to me.

Jealousy Incarnate: In a year of great shows, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but Jealousy Incarnate is definitely one of the top contenders for me. I’ve always been a huge fan of writer Seo Sook-hyang, and she outdid herself here—her writing was nuanced, poignant, and gut-bustingly funny, with engaging, realistic characters and themes. Plot details that had one apparent narrative purpose would often come full circle a few episodes later in the most unexpected and delightful ways, enriching those earlier scenes that came before them.

Case in point: Has ramyun ever been this romantic? From the forgotten cup ramyun that was later rediscovered like Na-ri’s abandoned love for Hwa-shin, tucked away in a dark corner of her heart, to Hwa-shin’s definitely-not-a-proposal promise of a thousand ramyuns (and later, the saddest shopping spree ever), Jealousy elevated the metaphor of food for love to a whole new level.

Still, the writing wouldn’t have shone without skillful directing, evocative music, and an incredibly talented ensemble cast to inhabit these complex, lovable characters who grew so much throughout the show’s run. We saw Pal-gang’s moms go from outright war, to ceasefire, to the most moving friendship in the drama. Our central love triangle was sweet, wacky, and painful in the best ways, and even though I questioned how far this “two-timing romance” was willing to go at times, I had to respect the drama for fully committing to its themes. Hwa-shin was the heart of this show, however, and his hilarious, emotional journey from an insensitive jerk to a still flawed but genuinely dreamy hero, brought to life by Jo Jung-seok’s virtuosic performance, is what I’ll remember about this show for years to come.

Marriage Contract: I usually avoid terminal illness dramas, but the contract marriage is one of my favorite tropes, and I was curious to see the unusual pairing of UEE and Lee Seo-jin. Little did I know that these two would become my favorite couple of the year.

Despite Marriage Contract’s over-the-top premise, it was the relationships that grounded the story and gave it warmth and realism. UEE and her bestie were closer than sisters, with a rapport that almost didn’t need words. Lee Seo-jin’s developing relationship with UEE’s daughter, played with near-genius by Shin Rin-ah, was the most adorable thing I saw this year. There was a giddiness to watching this stiff, lonely man be completely charmed by a smart-mouthed, big-hearted little girl. UEE’s portrayal of a dying woman desperate to secure her daughter’s future while facing her illness with fierce dignity was both heartbreaking and inspiring. UEE was a revelation—she gets better with every role, but here she completely blew me away and left me sobbing like a baby multiple times throughout the show.

Unlike most cancer dramas, Marriage Contract was never hysterical or melodramatic, but it quietly devastated me with the small details of a life cut too short, all of which added up to the real stuff of tragedy. Yet this show was filled with so much beauty and hope, because it understood the magic of ordinary moments. It was a bittersweet tale of a man who finally found the family he’d yearned for his whole life only to find it disappearing before his eyes, and a woman who’d seen so much sadness she was afraid to believe in love. And, above all, it was about their courage to take hold of their present happiness anyway as they slow danced into the night.

This Week, My Wife Will Have an Affair: Before its premiere, This Week, My Wife Will Have an Affair advertised itself as a kind of black comedy with silly characters prone to over-exaggeration. True to its word, those components did come into play to varying degrees. The show never lost its sense of humor, but I was not prepared for the emotional punch it packed, as well as the heartfelt moments the size of Jupiter. While most Korean dramas depict a kind of fantasy, This Week, My Wife Will Have an Affair was unafraid to get gritty and real with its viewers in covering the breakdown of its main family, and even the modern struggles of our secondary loveline. Although it could not quite rid itself entirely of those over-the-top moments (primarily through Yoon-ki and Ara), it did display a masterful sense of restraint and commitment to telling the story that it set out to tell, even if it meant challenging the characters a little more than we may be accustomed to seeing in dramaland. The various TOYCRANE followers were also given their moments to shine without ever distracting from our main story, and it all culminated in what was a genuinely moving moment that’ll forever be difficult to forget.

The second couple was winning and awkward in all the right moments, while the third couple was an all-around dark spot in an otherwise shining piece of work. My tolerance for the third couple’s narrative failures surprised me, illustrating how much I was willing to put up with because I believed in the story. And the story was what stayed standing in the end—the story about a man who turns to the internet with all his questions once his life begins to fall apart, but who ends up learning what it means to be both a good father and a loving husband.

Signal:Signal is one of those rare dramas that just got it right. In a class of thoughtfully written and unique dramas that premiered this year, Signal was one of those effortlessly brilliant students who seem to ace every exam without ever appearing to open a book. With its casting, superb writing, and direction, it took very few missteps. My only gripe would probably be the characterization of its main villain, but even that does not overshadow everything the show does exceptionally well. At the top of that list is definitely Jo Jin-woong’s portrayal of relentless, virtuous, and dorky Detective Lee Jae-han, who warmed our hearts and then crushed them into a million pieces over and over again. He singlehandedly made me want to believe in the old and now clichéd adage that “justice will prevail.” Kim Hye-soo was also stellar as rookie/veteran cop Cha Soo-hyun, and the contrast between her two portrayals was compelling and heartbreaking all at once. I would invest heavily in a buddy cop show with these two solving crimes until the end of time.

However, if the cast shone, it’s really because of the top-notch writing and world-building crafted by its writer, Kim Eun-hee. I found her ability to represent the majority of her characters as well-rounded and layered individuals, from the primary to the tertiary, beautifully done. The supernatural element of the walkie-talkie was what allowed our story to be told, but at its core, Signal was an exploration and celebration of the human spirit, and a reminder that you’re never really alone, even when you think you are.

December 26, 2016 at 3:18 AM

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Wow thanks for the review. And also oh dear, I knew I was busy but didn't realize I was so busy that I didn't recognize half the names. Did everyone join this year? I feel so apologetic and horrified- the DB staff is really big.

My only excuse, real life has been really busy. To the extent I have tended to jump into a show once it hits 10 episodes and fast fw/ marathon through. And started 2 weekend dramas from ep 18.

For those of you who managed to watch so many dramas- hats off. I am so impressed. And on the other hand- my commiserations if you all had to watch a Subway PPL in all the modern ones.

P/S Jealousy incarnate snuck up on me. I stopped at ep 16 cos' I was shipping JW so much. But I marathoned it 1 month post ending- totally loved the marathon and flow. JJS is da' bomb. He elevates Hwa Shin. And I've watched that wedding song so many times because each time, he makes me swoon in there. I just love that man. JJS- but only because he made Hwa Shin so memorable. Not my favourite drama but certainly one of the best 24 episode dramas that made full use of the episodes.

December 26, 2016 at 3:57 AM

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@CandidClown- I went off to read your review of This week my wife had an affair. I have ended up in tears. Sounds like a good drama... but I won't touch this, the same with Dear My Friends. It would shatter my heart. I salute those who had the guts to watch it to the end.

December 26, 2016 at 6:13 AM

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Watching Father I'll Take Care of You?

Dear My Friends is good Combi with Geum-Bi. Binge-watching an emotional show is quite exhaustive. The dramas that pierce your heart into 100's of pieces and bring real tears out of your eyes+snot are the most memorable ones.

I completely agree with Beautiful Mind changing its objective and leaving Jin Sung with no much and Hero Dr. Young Oh taking the monopoly over the story.

December 26, 2016 at 7:17 AM

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I would totally not categorize TWMWWHAA or otherwise "Wife" as a tearjerker. The show is very relatable because its about a marriage and maintaining it. It could get hard hitting at some point but nothing like DMF which was actually very difficult to watch. Plus it balances the hard time with the secondary couple who are adorable and the humor on the show is also on point. So do give it a try.

December 26, 2016 at 9:10 AM

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I steer clear of tearjerker shows in general and I totally agree with wapz above that This Week My Wife is not such a show. I don't remember shedding a single tear until close to the end but my heart was moved every single episode. You will not regret giving this a try, I think.

December 26, 2016 at 12:51 PM

December 26, 2016 at 4:01 AM

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Chocolatte and Laica's review really resonates with me. Those two shows, Jealousy Incarnate and Marriage Contract, completely stole my heart this year. Both were shows I felt most skeptical about during its promo (24 eps romcom?? another terminal illness melo??), but they so easily snatched that most-favorite-drama spot in my heart. You won, shows, you won.

December 26, 2016 at 5:02 AM

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Me too! I haven’t read any of their recaps before (I’m kinda new to following recaps on db) but Chocolatte and Laica seem SO my kind of people when it comes to dramas. Now I know where JI got all that love from on the Beancount chart. ❤ (And from girlfriday, ofcourse)

I am going give Marriage Contract a chance soon because Laica seems to think it is awesome.

December 26, 2016 at 11:52 AM

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I actually noticed that several of the Hoobae minions showered JI with their beans, effectively moving it to 3rd place. Not only Chocolatte and Laica, murasakimi and Teriyaki also loved the show even though they didn't feature it here (& I totally agree with their other picks, btw!). In short, I'm now looking forward to seeing what they all recap in the future, though I'm sure they don't often get first pick. I knew there were a lot of new additions, but so many ended up recapping shows I just couldn't stick with or fully get into so hopefully they'll get to recap a favorite in the future.

Chocolatte and SailorJumun definitely lucked out with their JTBC monopoly because that station has been hitting it out of the park this year and I got to enjoy many of their recaps because of it.

December 26, 2016 at 6:24 AM

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My face automatically lits up if I see jealousy incarnate in anybody's review. Thank you chocolatte and laica for that. Its the drama that I enjoyed the most which made me laugh one moment and cry the next. I hope it wins best comedy drama of the year in editor picks. If not I hope they create a special category for it like 'The most enjoyable wackiest drama of the year' :P

December 26, 2016 at 1:26 PM

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Awww me too! A review of JI always makes me so happy!
I truly never seen a drama before with scenes that can be both funny and sad at the same time. (i.e.: LHS at the funeral, wanting his bro to come back to live or when he was drunk performing for PNR. Though recently, American drama This Is Us had a few scenes that make me laugh/emotional at the same time!)

Anyways, I look forward to more JI's love in DB and in SBS End Yr Award~

December 26, 2016 at 5:05 AM

December 26, 2016 at 4:07 AM

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chickachunga, SailorJumun, chocolatte, tineybeanie, lovepark, festerfaster, TeriYaki, mary, CandidClown, HappilyEverAfter, Laica, murasakimi... Many thanks for your recaps, reporting, and other assorted minion contributions that have made cruising DramaBeans such a blast this year. I had no idea there are so many of you beavering away... Wow! Here's wishing you and your sunbaes all the best in 2017. ;-)

December 26, 2016 at 4:36 AM

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My deep appreciation to the hoobae minions of DB! You have made this year much more colorful with your unique insights and writing styles. May your love for Kdramas never burn out (that's blasphemy!). lol

I have yet to start on Marriage Contract, but I'm not sure if I can handle another bout of drama-induced tears after watching Dear My Friends. I might marathon JI during my weeklong vacay. Hooray!

December 26, 2016 at 5:04 AM

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Yaay for Age of Youth. Seriously, this show really affects me. It ruined the kdrama watching experience for me, as I really can't find another drama with the same relatability, emotional connection, friendship, characters portrayal, good OST and OST timing. I can't stop.

The first episode is really misleading that some people don't want to continue watching it. They're missing on Age of Youth.

December 26, 2016 at 5:38 AM

December 26, 2016 at 6:08 AM

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I don't think 1st episode is misleading at all. 1st episode of any show is usually an introduction of characters and setting up the main theme of the show. That's what happened here. What you perceive and what reality actually is two different things. The game of perceptions kept on being played till episode 12.

I tried to watch Ode to Joy and dropped it in its 1st episode. Many people have recommended it in comments so you can try it.

December 26, 2016 at 5:12 AM

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I have to echo what ck1Oz said about not having realized that the league of minions was THIS big...

You are all so thoughtful and write so well; I feel incredibly lucky to have so many great dramas to watch, and then a place like Dramabeans.com to come to everyday to read well-written critiques of these shows, as well as others I haven't watched.

Festerfaster's review of Beautiful Mind finally cleared up to me the origin of the problem with Park So-Dam's character...such a perceptive thing to have noticed! And I was similarly disappointed by W-Two Worlds--so much so that I never got around to finishing it.

Just so glad there are so many people helping out on the DB team...here's wishing ya'all had a merry Xmas, and better drama-viewing in 2017!!

December 26, 2016 at 8:19 AM

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Such a waste that Park So-dam's character got the short shrift, because the actress was capable of delivering a solid performance and could have done much more with a well-written character. Still, I liked her chemistry with Jang Hyuk.

Thanks to all the hoobae minions for your recaps, your hard work is definitely appreciated!

December 26, 2016 at 10:51 AM

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I love This Week My Wife Will Have an Affair and so appreciate that mary and murasakimi chose to include it in their reviews.

murasakimi, you were right about This Week... showing amazing restraint in its story telling. I am sure I was not the only one rooting for the main and secondary couples and itching to see some show of affection and skinship between them. But the director was ultimately right in not giving us much of that because that would not be organic to their stories. One couple is in deep pain, the other anxious about starting new. Back hugs, deep kisses, piggy backs, etc. would have been gratuitous.

And mary, I love your insight that the reason this show without any hot oppas or eye candies or marriage contract or rooming hijinks or shower scenes is so relatable is because we all personally have known couples like this in our lives.

December 26, 2016 at 5:27 PM

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I almost didn't watch This Week My Wife Will Have an Affair. Thankfully, I did! I'm surprised at how much they packed into 12 episodes. I feel like I lived a lifetime with all of the characters, like I truly traveled their journey with them.

I hope there's a season 2 because who wouldn't be interested in This Week Our New Story Begins?!

December 26, 2016 at 5:51 AM

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Age of Youth and Signal! ❤❤❤
W - Two Worlds. An example of "expectation leads to dissappointment... or (twisted) confusion"
The K2. I watched this by keeping my expectation low (I learn from Yongpal) so it didn't bother me at all, whether the plot, the excessive fighting scenes, the ending. I focused my attention to Ji Chang wook to remind myself that he's the reason I watched K2.

No matter how many reviews that praise Marriage Contract, they don't change my own view about it. I do love some characters in this drama but I really can't feel Lee Seo Jin's character no matter how I love him in variety shows. Have watched 2 of his dramas (Wonderful Life and Marriage Contract) gives me impression that he doesn't blend to his characters. So, instead of seeing his characters, I feel like I still seeing Lee Seo Jin being himself.
And his father was so annoying beyond belief. I couldn't believe that there was someone like that in this (drama) world.

December 27, 2016 at 3:37 AM

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My exact perspective about K2 and Marriage Contract. I wanted to really savor the acting of Ji Chang Wook and hoped that this drama would be a big hit as was Healer. However, and shockingly, I stopped watching after episode 8 and just could not get into this drama to support JCW in this endeavor. Of course, I will not give up on him and will simply look forward to his next drama.
Lee Seo Jin has not acted in too many dramas and so I was really looking forward to Marriage Contract and get my fill once again of his dimples and handsome face. Well, that I did but his performance once again reminded me that his acting had not changed much, or for me at least, his acting had not improved. With LSJ, I too often could still see the actor, not the character. His body movements are stiff and his delivery of lines not as believable..

December 26, 2016 at 6:31 AM

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Thank you hoobae minions for your awesome reviews. Hope you guys keep gracing us with your recaps! I am happy to see many new recappers because it means no deserving show will be left out of getting recapped. Keep rocking, guys! :)

December 26, 2016 at 6:55 AM

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In KDrama world, 2016 will be nothing without Jealousy Incarnate. This show is in a league of its own and it deserves all the credit and recognition it's getting. Like everyone else, I expected this show to be just one of those dramas wrongfully written and cast, but boy was I wrong. And I'm glad I was wrong. This show took me by surprise and each episode that passed, I got more drawn to each character, main or supporting roles, they all made an impact.
Seldom do I see inanimate objects having so much significance to the characters and the storyline and add-on a masterfully apt OST and the perfect chemistry of the ensemble cast makes this show an instant classic masterpiece. It's going to be difficult for me to like future rom-coms having Jealousy Incarnate a benchmark for creative writing ingenuity, outstanding acting by the ensemble cast, a perfect soundtrack, flawless editing and witty direction. That's kinda the perfect mix which I know is hard to trump, so Goodluck future rom-coms, may you be as good or strive to be better than Jealousy Incarnate. There's only one Lee Hwa-shin for me and I dare anyone try to make Ramyun so darn cheesy to the point of it being so darn romantically perfect like this show did. My heart still flutters and I'm thankful 24 episodes was so worth my time.

December 26, 2016 at 9:51 AM

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"It’s going to be difficult for me to like future rom-coms having Jealousy Incarnate a benchmark for creative writing ingenuity, outstanding acting by the ensemble cast, a perfect soundtrack, flawless editing and witty direction."
THIS.
JI has set the standards high. I have never been able to like rom coms as much as I have like this one and it clearly tops my list. I hope to see more work from the writer but I guess she writes after huge breaks.

December 26, 2016 at 6:56 AM

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Hip hip hooray for the Hoobae Minions!

Thank you for all your recaps and insight, and for your year end reviews, which reminded me of why I love Dramabeans so much, because every opinion here is welcome (as long as it is polite!) and intellectual discussions are not just tolerated but embraced, and it really feels like one big happy family.

Every time I see Beautiful Mind being mentioned and Jang Hyuk's performance being lauded it makes me happy, even if the reminder of What Could Have Been makes me a bit wistful.

And @festerfaster I will forever remember your comment of support for us BM Beanies during period of uncertainty when The Cut was just finalized- it touched me and made it so much more personal that The Recapper cared and was sad with us too. The yellow comment box- "Yours in solidarity..." Made it just that little bit better. ❤️

So thank you all for what you do, it matters not to me if you are Hoobae, Sunbae or Big Boss because it's deeply appreciated! To many more recaps and year end reviews to come! ?

December 26, 2016 at 6:59 AM

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Thank you Hoobae minions for shouting out dramas like this week my wife will have an affair, marriage contract and dear my friends. I think 2016 has really challenged drama expectations. I found myself being drawn to more of the smaller stories that grab your heart and dropping "blockbusters" like DOTS.
I'm grateful for a great year of dramas and for the DB staff that made it all the more enjoyable ?

December 26, 2016 at 8:00 AM

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I generally watch 2 or 3 dramas a week, but I love reading recaps of shows I'm not watching. Good recaps will get the essential parts of the show across in an entertaining way, and I don't have to sit through scenes that are too long and actors that don't quite have it together and other stuff like that. I just like reading the stories. So I think I've read recaps from all of you. It's amazing how good y'all are, and the insights you give at the end -- I could never do that. Many thanks!

December 26, 2016 at 8:31 AM

The DB staff has become so big! A big wave to all the minions, new and old. They are as essential to the site than the others reviewers.
In my heart and my mind, there's no hierarchy.

Loving the amount of love that Signal is getting.

And especially Jo Jin Woong, who lift the drama to this spectacular level with this stellar acting.
And Kim Hye Soo, the only possible match to such a big star, who played her multifaceted character with an eerie talent: only a godess from another world could have bring such a performance.

Nothing in dramaland this year can compare to their achievement.

I don't know how long it will take me before i stop raving about Signal: my gut feeling tells me i still have there's few years before the effect started to slowly become less powerful....
So sorry in advance to all who don't think that the drama is the best thing ever made, your annoyance is not over yet ...:)

December 26, 2016 at 8:34 AM

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Thank you to all the hoobae minions as well as the rest of the dramabeans staff for helping me see the cultural cues I'd miss if I were just watching these shows subbed without recaps. And seeing your points of view after the recaps are great! I have also loved the comments section of each recap to see even more points of view; it's made 2016 quite fun! Thanks again, and here's to more insights and things to learn in 2017. ?

December 26, 2016 at 9:54 AM

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Same. JI was the most memorable drama of 2016 for me and I keep telling myself I will watch Signal, well obv now in 2017 but I think I would regret big time if it ends up being in my top favorite dramas and I wouldn't have even voted for it in DB Awards.

December 26, 2016 at 10:00 AM

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Tbh, I am not as disappointed at W as many others. I still think it was a solid show with a unique,interesting premise. However, I agree it lost its charm after the reset but still it is a better shows than many we have seen this year. For me, the writer did present an interesting plot with oh so many twists which were so unpredictable. Yes, it could be better but for me atleast it wasn't disappointing. It didn't finish as good as it started and couldn't maintain the grand plot it had but overall it was still great. It would be a perfect marathon drama.

December 28, 2016 at 1:03 AM

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Those are excellent choices! Those two are my favorites this year, as well, with This Week My Wife's Having An Affair being the first. I'm happy it's getting a lot of love from recappers and our fellow beanies. There's just something so organic, real, and thought-provoking about that drama.

Age of Youth is another favorite from 2016. I love the friendship that formed among the Belle Epoque girls at the end despite their differences at the beginning. The soundtrack and tone was nice and quirky, too.

December 26, 2016 at 10:30 AM

December 26, 2016 at 4:00 PM

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Like everyone else, I didn't know there are so many minions DB has. It's just disconcerting since I come to DB almost everyday and only remember a handful of them.
Thank you for your hard work chickachunga, SailorJumun, chocolatte, tineybeanie, lovepark, festerfaster, TeriYaki, mary, CandidClown, HappilyEverAfter, Laica, murasakimi! It's been a great year and with you in DB it's even better! Continue your hardwork and always be happy!

December 26, 2016 at 6:37 PM

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Jealousy Incarnate completely changes my expectation bar for romcom. While this year is full of awesome shows, JI still hold a very special place for me, because a near-perfect romcom is hard to come by. I didn't know what I was missing out until JI came along.

December 26, 2016 at 6:39 PM

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I thought the ensemble of hoobae minions would be quite a lot but I didn't realize such a larger ensemble than the one I predicted! But hey, I remember reading at least one post from each of you guys! :D Goes to show how awesome the dramabean community has been ^.^
Thank you festerfaster for your wonderful recaps on Beautiful Mind (it was one of the shows where I read every single recap) and to point out the flaws to which I agree with.
Beautiful Mind took me by surprise due to one of the medical cases in which I find a little bit of myself in. It's a pity that Jin Sung's character development was shelved to the side.
Also the "wife" drama like mary had said truly brings out such wonderful perspective from everyone and I learn a lot myself when reading fellow beanies' comment.
Should have put this in an earlier thread but happy holidays to all the beanies including the hoobaes, sunbaes, javabeans, girlfriday, and HeadsNo2 !

December 26, 2016 at 10:26 PM

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So happy Age of Youth is getting the love it deserves here at DramaBeans! I loved Signal, Come back Ahjussi and DOTS too. I always wanted to try Dear My Friends but I'm so weak hearted I got teary just watching Kwangsoo's videos on Instagram. Though this year I've given all my tears to Oh My Geumbi.

December 27, 2016 at 3:09 AM

December 27, 2016 at 4:55 PM

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Thank you for these wonderful reviews. Mary, your take on This Week My Wife Will Have an Affair made me cry and then laugh out loud at the ending. And I haven't even seen the drama. Thanks for words that strike right to the heart.

December 28, 2016 at 11:54 AM

January 2, 2017 at 10:43 PM

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Hey hoobae minions :)
I don't know whether you guys read comments on old posts but I want you guys to know I appreciate your reviews. Sites like DB, which have too many moderators work well only when there is a good team work. Your support to the sunbaes is the factor which makes the ambiance of DB cordial.